The Surrogate He Discarded

Aioryx Tower, rising sixty storeys above Novare’s skyline, was among the tallest structures in the city. Its glass-and-steel silhouette dominated the western district, a monument to corporate ambition and technological power.

Morgan Foster’s office occupied the penthouse, where floor-to-ceiling windows framed a sweeping panorama of the city’s western expanse. By day, the streets below pulsed with relentless movement; by night, rivers of neon and headlights transformed Novare into a living constellation.

Above the penthouse, the tower’s pinnacle rose a single storey higher. From there, the entire city unfolded in every direction—a vast urban landscape stretching to the horizon, its towering spires, transit arteries, and illuminated districts blending into a breathtaking display of human achievement.

The upper ten storeys belonged exclusively to Aioryx. Two floors housed the company’s vast IT operations, their servers and specialists forming the technological backbone of the corporation. Another two were occupied by the Creative and Data Divisions, where designers, analysts, and strategists shaped the ideas and intelligence that drove Aioryx forward. The remaining levels contained executive suites, research facilities, and secure departments inaccessible to most employees.

...

Isobel stepped out of the sedan she had booked through an app and smoothed down her navy-blue pencil skirt. The matching blazer hugged her frame perfectly, while her black heels clicked softly against the pavement.

Morgan had offered to take her to work himself. He had even suggested sending one of his drivers.

She had refused.

As tempting as it had been, she wanted her first day to feel real. She wanted to experience it the way any other employee would—commuting through the city, walking through the front doors, and earning her place on her own.

Lifting her gaze, she stared up at Aioryx Tower.

The glass-clad skyscraper rose high above the surrounding buildings, gleaming beneath the morning sun. For a moment, she simply stood there, taking it all in.

A smile spread across her face.

She was finally here.

Ever since her university days, Aioryx had been more than just a company to her. It had been a dream, a goal she had quietly chased through years of hard work and determination. And now she was about to walk through those doors as one of its employees.

Her heart fluttered with excitement.

With renewed confidence, she squared her shoulders and headed toward the main entrance, unaware that this ordinary workday was about to change her life in ways she could never have imagined.

...

Meanwhile, across the street, a black Bentley rolled to a stop at a red light.

Seated in the rear passenger seat, Kristoff glanced absently out the window. When he realized they had stopped in front of Aioryx Tower, his gaze lingered on the towering skyscraper and the silver lettering emblazoned above its entrance.

Aioryx.

Morgan Foster had transformed the company from a top-twenty contender into the industry’s undisputed leader in just five years. The world’s foremost technology experts called him a visionary—a man who seemed capable of seeing the future before everyone else.

Meanwhile, Dalton Technologies remained stuck in second place.

No matter how much Kristoff expanded the business, no matter how many risks he took, Morgan always managed to stay one step ahead.

His expression darkened.

Then his attention shifted.

A young woman in a fitted navy-blue suit was walking at the plaza toward the building’s entrance.

Kristoff froze.

His heart skipped a beat.

”Isobel...”

The name slipped from his lips before he could stop it.

Instinctively, he leaned closer to the car window.

The woman turned her head slightly, revealing the delicate curve of her profile.

His breath caught.

For a brief moment, the world seemed to stand still.

Then she nodded at something one of the security guards said and disappeared through the revolving glass doors.

Kristoff remained motionless.

A few seconds later, he let out a humorless laugh.

”It can’t be her.”

He rubbed a hand across his face.

”No, it can’t be here. I am just exhausted.”

Baby Alex had barely slept the previous night.

Lately, the baby had become unusually fussy, crying for hours at a time as though searching for something or someone he couldn’t find. Could he be looking for his mother? Even the two professional nannies he hired couldn’t calm him. ℯℯ𝑙.

He would only feed when hunger finally overcame his resistance, and more often than not, the only person who could calm him down was Kristoff.

Every time Alex opened those large, expressive eyes and looked at him, memories of Isobel surfaced uninvited.

Those same eyes... black, like the obsidian...

...bright, and beautiful eyes that used to light up whenever she saw him.

Kristoff’s jaw tightened.

His fingers unconsciously curled into a fist.

”What the hell am I thinking?” he muttered under his breath.

”She served her purpose. I should’ve forgotten her after the baby was born. Or maybe I should have really opted for an IVF instead of natural pregnancy.”

But his words sounded hollow even to him.

His gaze drifted back toward the entrance of Aioryx Tower, as if drawn by an invisible force.

Annoyed, he reached for his phone and unlocked it.

A few taps later, he opened a hidden folder in his gallery.

There were only three photos.

Three photos he should have deleted long ago.

Yet no matter how many times he tried, he never could.

The first captured Isobel looking directly at the camera. A shy smile played on her lips, while her eyes shone with a brightness that always reminded him of starlight—beautiful, distant, and impossible to forget.

The second was his favorite.

She was asleep, curled beneath the blanket, unaware of the camera pointed at her. She looked peaceful and vulnerable. Her long lashes cast delicate shadows across her cheeks, making her look almost unreal. He remembered teasing her about wearing fake eyelashes, only for her to pout and insist they were real. The memory surfaced so vividly that he could almost hear her voice.

The third was a selfie of the two of them together. Isobel was smiling brightly, leaning against him as if she belonged there.

Kristoff stared at the screen for several long moments.

A dull ache spread through his chest, familiar and unwelcome.

Annoyed with himself, he locked the phone and shoved it back into his pocket.

The traffic light turned green.

”Hurry up,” he said sharply. ”We’re already late.”

The icy edge in his voice left no room for argument.

The driver immediately gripped the steering wheel tighter.

A chill seemed to settle inside the car.

”Y-Yes, sir.”

He pressed the accelerator a little too hard, causing the Bentley to lurch forward.

Kristoff barely noticed.

His gaze remained fixed on the shrinking silhouette of Aioryx Tower in the side window.

It couldn’t have been her.

And yet...